Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 50g/2oz butter
• 2 shallots
• peeled and chopped
• 1 fennel bulb
• finely chopped
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 500g/1lb 2oz cooked crayfish shells
• 2 tbsp brandy
• 1 litre/1¾ pints fish stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs fresh flatleaf parsley
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 litre/1¾ pints fish stock
• 25g/1oz butter
• 1 small onion
• finely chopped
• 150g/5oz leeks
• cut into thick slices
• 250g/9oz arborio risotto rice
• 75ml/3fl oz dry white wine
• 250g/9oz cooked crayfish tails
• 50g/2oz mascarpone
• 50g/2oz parmesan
• grated
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• For the bisque
• heat the oil and butter in a wide frying pan and sauté the shallots and fennel for 2-3 minutes.
• Add the flour and tomato purée and cook
• stirring
• for a further minute.
• Add the crayfish shells and brandy and cook for another minute.
• Add the fish stock
• bay leaves and parsley and bring to a simmer. Cook for 20-25 minutes
• or until the liquid has reduced by a third. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
• Pour the mixture into a food processor and blend to a fine purée.
• Pass the purée through a sieve into a clean saucepan and season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• For the risotto
• place the fish stock into a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer.
• Meanwhile
• heat the butter in a saucepan
• add the onion and leeks and cook gently for a few minutes
• until softened but not coloured.
• Add the rice and cook for a minute
• stirring to coat the rice in the butter.
• Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half.
• Add the warm stock a ladleful at a time
• stirring well between each addition until nearly all the stock is absorbed and the rice is just tender.
• Add two thirds of the crayfish tails and 200ml/7fl oz of the bisque and stir to combine. Stir in the mascarpone
• parmesan and salt and freshly ground black pepper
• to taste.
• To serve
• spoon the risotto into the centre of a large soup plate. Place the remaining crayfish tails around the edge of the risotto.
• Using a hand blender
• blend the remaining bisque until frothy. Spoon the foam over the crayfish tails.